Cotton variety st 4498b2rf

ABSTRACT

The cotton variety ST 4498B2RF is disclosed. The invention relates to seeds, plants, plant cells, plant tissue, harvested products and cotton lint as well as to hybrid cotton plants and seeds obtained by repeatedly crossing plants of variety ST 4498B2RF with other plants. The invention also relates to plants and varieties produced by the method of essential derivation from plants of ST 4498B2RF and to plants of ST 4498B2RF reproduced by vegetative methods, including but not limited to tissue culture of regenerable cells or tissue from ST 4498B2RF.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/197,375, filed Oct. 27, 2008, the disclosure of which is hereinincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(i) Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the field of plant breeding. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to a variety of cotton designated asST 4498B2RF, its essentially derived varieties and the hybrid varietiesobtained by crossing ST 4498B2RF as a parent line with plants of othervarieties or parent lines.

(ii) Description of related art

Cotton is an important, fiber producing crop. Due to the importance ofcotton to the textile industry, cotton breeders are increasingly seekingto obtain healthy, good yielding crops of excellent quality.

Cotton is commonly reproduced by self-pollination and fertilization.This type of sexual reproduction facilitates the preservation of plantand variety characteristics during breeding and seed production. Thepreservation of these characteristics are often important to plantbreeders for producing cotton plants having desired traits. Othermethods of producing cotton plants having desired traits are also usedand include methods such as genetic transformation via Agrobacteriuminfection or direct transfer by microparticle bombardment. Examples ofsuch methods are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pub. No. 20090049564,incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Due to the environment, the complexity of the structure of genes andlocation of a gene in the genome, among other factors, it is difficultto predict the phenotypic expression of a particular genotype. Inaddition, a plant breeder may only apply his skills on the phenotype andnot, or in a very limited way, on the level of the genotype. As aresult, a particular plant breeder cannot breed the same variety twiceusing the same parents and the same methodology. Thus, a newly bredvariety is an unexpected result of the breeding process. Indeed, eachvariety contains a unique combination of characteristics.

By carefully choosing the breeding parents, the breeding and selectionmethods, the testing layout and testing locations, the breeder may breeda particular variety type. In addition, a new variety may be tested inspecial comparative trials with other existing varieties in order todetermine whether the new variety meets the required expectations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to seeds, plants, plant cells, parts of plants,cotton lint or fiber, and cotton textiles of cotton variety ST 4498B2RFas well as to hybrid cotton plants and seeds obtained by crossing plantsof ST 4498B2RF with other cotton plants. The invention encompassesplants and plant varieties produced by the method of derivation oressential derivation from plants of ST 4498B2RF and to plants of ST4498B2RF reproduced by vegetative methods, including but not limited toregeneration of embryogenic cells or tissue of ST 4498B2RF. Theinvention also encompasses methods of producing cotton seeds thatcomprise crossing plants of cotton variety ST 4498B2RF either withitself or with a second, distinct cotton plant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention has been obtained by a general breeding process comprisingthe steps outlined below. For reference, see chapter 11, “BreedingSelf-Pollinated Crops by Hybridization and Pedigree Selection,” inBriggs and Knowles (1967).

Parent plants, which have been selected for good agronomic and fiberquality traits are manually crossed in different combinations. Theresulting F1 (Filial generation 1) plants are self-fertilized and theresulting F2 generation plants, which show a large variability onaccount of optimal gene segregation, are planted in a selection field.

These F2 plants are observed during the growing season for health,growth vigor, plant type, plant structure, leaf type, stand ability,flowering, maturity, seed yield, boll type, boll distribution, bollsize, fiber yield and fiber quality. Plants are then selected. Theselected plants are harvested and the bolls analyzed for fibercharacteristics and the seed cleaned and stored. This procedure isrepeated in the following growing seasons, whereby the selection andtesting units increase from individual plants in the F2, to multipleplant containing ‘lines’ (descending from one mother plant) in the F5and the number of units decrease from approximately 2500 plants in theF2 to 20 lines in the F5 by selecting about 10-20% of the units in eachselection cycle.

The increased size of the units, whereby more seed per unit isavailable, allows the selection and testing in replicated trials on morethan one location with a different environment and a more extensive andaccurate analyzing of the fiber quality.

The lines or candidate varieties become genotypically more homozygousand phenotypically more homogeneous by selecting similar plant typeswithin a line and by discarding the so called off-types from the veryvariable F2 generation on to the final F7 or F8 generation.

Depending on the intermediate results the plant breeder may decide tovary the procedure described above, such as by accelerating the processby testing a particular line earlier or retesting a line another year.He may also select plants for further crossing with existing parentplants or with other plants resulting from the current selectionprocedure.

By the method of recurrent backcrossing, as described by Briggs andKnowles, supra, in chapter 13, “The Backcross Method of Breeding”, thebreeder may introduce a specific trait or traits into an existingvaluable line or variety, while otherwise preserving the uniquecombination of characteristics of this line or variety. In this crossingmethod, the valuable parent is recurrently used to cross it at least twoor three times with each resulting backcross F1, followed by selectionof the recurrent parent plant type, until the phenotype of the resultingF1 is similar or almost identical to the phenotype of the recurrentparent with the addition of the expression of the desired trait ortraits.

This method of recurrent backcrossing eventually results in anessentially derived variety, which is predominantly derived from therecurrent parent or initial variety. This method can therefore also beused to get as close as possible to the genetic composition of anexisting successful variety. Thus, compared to the recurrent parent theessentially derived variety retains a distinctive trait, which can beany phenotypic trait, with the intention to profit from the qualities ofthat successful initial variety.

Depending on the number of backcrosses and the efficacy of the selectionof the recurrent parent plant type and genotype, which can be supportedby the use of molecular markers as described by P. Stam (2003), thegenetic conformity with the initial variety of the resulting essentiallyderived variety may vary between 90% and 100%.

Other than recurrent backcrossing, as described herein, such essentiallyderived variety may also be obtained by the selection from an initialvariety of an induced or natural occurring mutant plant, or of anoccurring variant (off-type) plant, or of a somaclonal variant plant, orby genetic transformation of regenerable plant tissue or embryogeniccell cultures of the said initial variety by methods well known to thoseskilled in the art, such as Agrobacterium-mediated transformation asdescribed by Sakhanokho et al., (2004), Reynaerts et al., (2000), Umbecket al., (1988) and others. Examples of transgenic events transformed inthis way are “LLCotton25,” USDA-APHIS petition 02-042-01p, “Cot 102,”USDA-APHIS petition 03-155-01 p, and “281-24-236,” USDA-APHIS petition03-036-01p combined with “3006-210-23,” USDA-APHIS petition 03-036-02p.Information regarding these and other transgenic events referred toherein may be found at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA)Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) website. An “Event”is defined as a (artificial) genetic locus that, as a result of geneticengineering, carries a foreign DNA comprising at least one copy of thegene(s) of interest. Other methods of genetic transformation are wellknown in the art such as microprojectile bombardment. See, e.g., U.S.Publication No. 20090049564, which is incorporated by reference hereinin its entirety.

The plants selected or transformed retain the unique combination of thecharacteristics of ST 4498B2RF, except for the characteristics (e.g.,one, two, three, four or five characteristics) changed by the selectionof the mutant or variant plant or by the addition of a desired trait viagenetic transformation. Therefore, the product of essential derivation(i.e., an essentially derived variety), has the phenotypiccharacteristics of the initial variety, except for the characteristicsthat change as a result of the act of derivation. Plants of theessentially derived variety can be used to repeat the process ofessential derivation. The result of this process is also a varietyessentially derived from said initial variety.

In one embodiment, ST 4498B2RF progeny plants are produced by crossingplants of ST 4498B2RF with other, different or distinct cotton plants,and further selfing or crossing these progeny plants with other,distinct plants and subsequent selection of derived progeny plants. Theprocess of crossing ST 4498B2RF derived progeny plants with itself orother distinct cotton plants and the subsequent selection in theresulting progenies can be repeated up to 7 or 8 times in order toproduce ST 4498B2RF derived cotton plants.

ST 4498B2RF has been obtained by introducing the Event MON 88913 (APHISpetition 04-086-01p) via a cross between a donor plant containing thisEvent and the cotton variety ST 457. The F1 plants were backcrossedtwice with variety ST 457. The resulting population F-BC2 expresses thecharacteristics of ST 457 combined with Event MON 88913. The Events MON531 (USDA-APHIS petition 94-308-01p) and MON 15985 (USDA-APHIS petition00-342-01p) were introduced in ST 457 by crossing the donor plantcontaining these Events with the cotton variety ST 457. The F1 plantswere backcrossed twice with ST 457. The resulting backcross populationB2-BC2 expresses the characteristics of ST 457 combined with the EventsMON 531 and MON 15985. The Events were combined by crossing plants ofF-BC2 with plants of B2-BC2 resulting in the ST 457 B2F BC3 population.Out of this population the variety ST 4498B2RF has been selected.

ST 4498B2RF is similar to the existing variety ST 457, but differs byits resistance to the insect pests Cotton Bollworm, Cotton Leafworm,Fall Armyworm, Pink Bollworm and Tobacco Budworm, as a result of thesurprising expression of the Events MON 531 and MON 15985 in combinationwith the characteristics of ST 457 and the resistance to the herbicideglyphosate as a result of the surprising expression of the Event MON88913 in combination with the characteristics of ST 457.

Provided herein as embodiments of the invention are seeds, plants, plantcells and parts of plants of the cotton variety ST 4498B2RF.Representative seeds of this variety will be deposited under rule 37 CFR1.809, prior to issuance of a patent. Representative seeds of ST4498B2RF will be deposited under Accession No. ______. Plants producedby growing such seeds are provided herein as embodiments of theinvention. Also provided herein are pollen or ovules of these plants, aswell as a cell or tissue culture of regenerable cells from such plants.In another embodiment, the invention provides for a cotton plantregenerated from such cell or tissue culture, wherein the regeneratedplant has the morphological and physiological characteristics of cottoncultivar ST 4498B2RF, as described herein (e.g., Table 1), when grown inthe same environmental conditions. In yet another embodiment, theinvention provides methods of testing for a plant having themorphological and physiological characteristics of cotton cultivar ST4498B2RF. In one embodiment, the testing for a plant having themorphological and physiological characteristics of cotton cultivar ST4498B2RF is performed in the same field, under the same conditions andin the presence of plants of ST 4498B2RF, e.g., plants grown from theseed deposited under Accession number ______. In another embodiment, thecharacteristics to be tested for are those described herein (e.g., Table1).

In another embodiment, the present invention provides regenerable cellsfor use in tissue culture of cotton cultivar ST 4498B2RF. The tissueculture will preferably be capable of regenerating plants having thephysiological and morphological characteristics of the cotton cultivarST 4498B2RF, and of regenerating plants having substantially the samegenotype as the cotton plant of the present invention. Preferably, theregenerable cells in such tissue cultures will be from embryos,protoplasts, meristematic cells, callus, pollen, leaves, anthers,pistils, roots, root tips, flowers, seeds, pods, bolls, or stems. Stillfurther, the present invention provides cotton plants regenerated fromthe tissue cultures of the invention.

Yet another aspect of the current invention is a cotton plant of thecotton variety ST 4498B2RF comprising at least a first transgene,wherein the cotton plant is otherwise capable of expressing all thephysiological and morphological characteristics of the cotton variety ST4498B2RF. In particular embodiments of the invention, a plant isprovided that comprises a single locus conversion. A single locusconversion may comprise a transgenic gene which has been introduced bygenetic transformation into the cotton variety ST 4498B2RF or aprogenitor thereof. A transgenic or non-transgenic single locusconversion can also be introduced by backcrossing, as is well known inthe art. In certain embodiments of the invention, the single locusconversion may comprise a dominant or recessive allele. The locusconversion may confer potentially any desired trait upon the plant asdescribed herein.

Single locus conversions may be implemented by backcrossing whereinessentially all of the desired morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics of a variety are recovered in addition to thecharacteristics conferred by the single locus transferred into thevariety via the backcrossing technique. A single locus may comprise onegene, or in the case of transgenic plants, one or more transgenesintegrated into the host genome at a single site (locus).

In a particular aspect, the invention provides for a method ofintroducing a single locus conversion into cotton cultivar ST 4498B2RFcomprising: (a) crossing the ST 4498B2RF plants, grown from seeddeposited under Accession No. ______, with plants of another cotton linethat comprise a desired single locus to produce F1 progeny plants; (b)selecting F1 progeny plants that have the desired single locus toproduce selected F1 progeny plants; (c) crossing the selected F1 progenyplants with the ST 4498B2RF plants to produce first backcross progenyplants; (d) selecting for first backcross progeny plants that have thedesired single locus and the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of cotton cultivar ST 4498B2RF as described herein(e.g., Table 1), when grown in the same environmental conditions, toproduce selected first backcross progeny plants; and (e) repeating steps(c) and (d) one or more times (e.g., one, two, three, four, etc., times)in succession to produce selected third or higher backcross progenyplants that comprise the desired single locus and all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of cotton cultivar ST4498B2RF as described herein (e.g., Table 1), when grown in the sameenvironmental conditions. Plants produced by this method have all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of ST 4498B2RF, exceptfor the characteristics derived from the desired trait.

Another embodiment of the invention provides for a method of producingan essentially derived plant of cotton variety ST 4498B2RF comprisingintroducing a transgene conferring the desired trait into the plant,resulting in a plant with the desired trait and all of the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of cotton variety ST 4498B2RF whengrown in the same environmental conditions. In another embodiment, theinvention provides for a method of producing an essentially derivedcotton plant from ST 4498B2RF comprising genetically transforming adesired trait in regenerable cell or tissue culture from a plantproduced by the invention, resulting in an essentially derived cottonplant that retains the expression of the phenotypic characteristics ofcotton variety ST 4498B2RF, except for the characteristics changed bythe introduction of the desired trait.

Desired traits described herein include modified cotton fibercharacteristics, herbicide resistance, insect or pest resistance,disease resistance, including bacterial or fungal disease resistance,male sterility, modified carbohydrate metabolism and modified fatty acidmetabolism. Such traits and genes conferring such traits are known inthe art. See, e.g., US 20090049564, incorporated by reference herein inits entirety.

The invention also provides for methods wherein the desired trait isherbicide tolerance and the tolerance is linked to a herbicide such asglyphosate, gluphosinate, sulfonylurea, dicamba, phenoxy proprionicacid, cyclohexanedione, triazine, benzonitrile, bromoxynil orimidazalinone. The invention also provides for methods wherein theherbicide tolerance is an expression of the Event “LLCotton25” and theinsect resistance is an expression of the Event “281-24-236”, Event“3006-210-23” or a combination thereof, or Event “Cot 102”.

In one embodiment, the desired trait is insect resistance conferred by atransgene encoding a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) endotoxin, a derivativethereof, or a synthetic polypeptide modeled thereon.

Also included herein is a method of producing cotton seed, comprisingthe steps of using the plant grown from seed of cotton variety ST4498B2RF, of which a representative seed sample will be deposited underAccession No. ______, as a recurrent parent in crosses with other cottonplants different from ST 4498B2RF, and harvesting the resultant cottonseed.

Another embodiment of this invention relates to seeds, plants, plantcells and parts of plants of cotton varieties that are essentiallyderived from ST 4498B2RF, being essentially the same as this inventionby expressing the unique combination of characteristics of ST 4498B2RF,including the herbicide and insect resistance of ST 4498B2RF, except forthe characteristics (e.g., one, two, three, four, or fivecharacteristics) being different from the characteristics of ST 4498B2RFas a result of the act of derivation.

Another embodiment of this invention is the reproduction of plants of ST4498B2RF by the method of tissue culture from any regenerable planttissue obtained from plants of this invention. Plants reproduced by thismethod express the specific combination of characteristics of thisinvention and fall within its scope. During one of the steps of thereproduction process via tissue culture somaclonal, variant plants mayoccur. These plants fall within the scope of this invention as beingessentially derived from this invention.

Another embodiment of the invention provides for a method of producingan inbred cotton plant derived from the cotton variety ST 4498B2RFcomprising: (a) preparing a progeny plant derived from cotton variety ST4498B2RF, a representative sample of seed of said variety having beendeposited under Accession No. ______, by crossing cotton variety ST4498B2RF with a cotton plant of a second variety; (b) crossing theprogeny plant with itself or a second plant to produce a seed of aprogeny plant of a subsequent generation; (c) growing a progeny plant ofa subsequent generation from said seed and crossing the progeny plant ofa subsequent generation with itself or a second plant; and (d) repeatingsteps (b) and (c) for an additional 3-10 generations with sufficientinbreeding to produce an inbred cotton plant derived from the cottonvariety ST 4498B2RF.

Another embodiment of this invention is the production of a hybridvariety, comprising repeatedly crossing plants of ST 4498B2RF withplants of a different variety or varieties or with plants of anon-released line or lines. In practice, three different types of hybridvarieties may be produced (see e.g., Chapter 18, “Hybrid Varieties” inBriggs and Knowles, supra): the “single cross hybrid” produced by twodifferent lines, the “three way hybrid”, produced by three differentlines such that first the single hybrid is produced by using two out ofthe three lines followed by crossing this single hybrid with the thirdline, and the “four way hybrid” produced by four different lines suchthat first two single hybrids are produced using the lines two by two,followed by crossing the two single hybrids so produced. Each single,three way or four way hybrid variety so produced and using ST 4498B2RFas one of the parent lines contains an essential contribution of ST4498B2RF to the resulting hybrid variety and falls within the scope ofthis invention.

The invention also provides for cotton lint or fiber produced by theplants of the invention, plants reproduced from the invention, andplants essentially derived from the invention. The final textileproduced from the unique fiber of ST 4498B2RF also falls within thescope of this invention. The invention also provides for a method ofproducing a commodity plant product (e.g., lint, cotton seed oil)comprising obtaining a plant of the invention or a part thereof, andproducing said commodity plant product therefrom.

The entire disclosure of each document cited herein (e.g., US patentpublications, non-patent literature, etc.) is hereby incorporated byreference.

The invention will now be further described with reference to thefollowing, non-limiting examples.

Example 1

Seeds were obtained from plants finally selected in the process ofbreeding the new variety “ST 4498B2RF.”

Seeds of the variety ST 4498B2RF, of which a representative sample willbe deposited, were planted, together with seeds of cotton variety ST4544B2RF as reference variety, in field trials at two locations: BCSResearch Station, Edmonson, Tex. (see Table 1) and BCS Research StationSeaboard, NC (see Table 2).

Table 3 reflects the average expression of the characteristics of ST4498B2RF. The sample that will be deposited represents the variety andthis sample can be analyzed for the expression of its phenotypiccharacteristics at any time and at any location.

ST 4498B2RF has an indeterminate plant growth habit and has a strong,erect central stem. ST 4498B2RF is most similar to ST 4554B2RF; however,it has a stronger fiber and a significantly lower fiber micronaire asshown hereunder in Table 1 and 2:

TABLE 1 Individual Location Analysis from Edmonson, TX Lint Entry Name NYield % Leu Str Mic UR Elong ST 4498B2RF 4 1895 0.43 1.13 28.2 3.8 82.911.9 ST 4554B2RF 4 1708 0.45 1.11 24.9 4.3 83.2 11.6 LSD(.05) 243 0.040.08 2.8 0.6 2.9 0.8 CV (Error) 10.0 4.7 3.6 5.4 6.8 1.7 3.7Significance 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.1 0.00 0.00 0.00 (Entry) Number 1 1 1 1 11 1 Locations Total Reps 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

TABLE 2 Individual Location Analysis from Seaboard, NC Lint Entry Name NYield % Len Str Mic UR Elong ST 4498B2RF 2 1312 0.39 1.13 31.0 4.2 83.111.2 ST 4554B2RF 2 923 0.39 1.11 29.7 5.0 82.8 11.3 LSD(.05) 331 0.00.04 0.2 0.06 0.2 0.6 CV (Error) 6.9 0.18 0.90 0.17 0.1 0.06 1.3Significance 0.12 0.00 0.29 0.02 0.00 0.12 0.5 (Entry) Number 1 1 1 1 11 1 Locations Total Reps 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Moreover, as shown in Table 3, ST4498B2RF has a shorter plant length andmore nodes at maturity compared to ST4554B2RF.

TABLE 3 Characteristics of ST 4498B2RF Variety Description ofCharacteristic Possible Expression/Note ST 4498B2RF ST 4544B2RF GeneralPlant Type Plant Habit spreading, intermediate, compact IntermediateIntermediate Foliage sparse, intermediate, dense IntermediateIntermediate Stem Lodging lodging, intermediate, erect Erect ErectFruiting Branch clustered, short, normal Normal Normal Growthdeterminate, intermediate, indeterminate Indeterminate IndeterminateLeaf color greenish yellow, light green, Light Green Light Green mediumgreen, dark green Boll Shape Length < Width, L = W, L > W Length > WidthLength > Width Boll Breadth broadest at base, broadest at middleBroadest at base Broadest at base Maturity date of 50% open bolls Plantcm. to first Fruiting Branch from cotyledonary node 12.1  12.7 No. ofnodes to 1st Fruiting Branch excluding cotyledonary node  6.2  5.4Mature Plant Height in cm. cotyledonary node to terminal 97.3 103.6Leaf: upper most, fully expanded leaf Type normal, sub-okra, okra,super-okra Normal Normal Pubescence absent, sparse, medium, dense DenseDense Nectaries present, absent Present Present Stem Pubescenceglabrous, intermediate, hairy Hairy Hairy General Plant Type Glands(Gossypol) absent, sparse, normal, more than normal Leaf Normal NormalStem Sparse Sparse Calyx lobe (normal is absent) Normal Normal FlowerPetals cream, yellow Cream Cream Pollen cream, yellow Cream Cream PetalSpot present, absent Absent Absent Seed Seed Index g/100 seed fuzzybasis 10.1  9.8 Lint Index g lint/100 seeds  6  6.4 Boll Lint percentGin Turnout, picked  0.4  0.4 Number of Seeds per Boll 34.1  32 GramsSeed Cotton per Boll  3.4  5.2 Number of Locules per Boll  4  4 BollType storm proof, storm resistant, open Open Open Fiber PropertiesMethod HVI HVI HVI Length, inches, 2.5% SL  1.13  1.13 Uniformity (%)83.6  82.6 Strength, T1 (g/tex) 29.8  29 Elongation, E1 (%) 10.7  10.8Micronaire  4.2  4.5 Diseases Alternaria macrospora NT NT Anthracnose NTNT Ascochyta Blight NT NT Bacterial Blight race 1 NT NT Bacterial Blightrace 2 NT NT Bacterial Blight Race NT NT Fusarium Wilt NT NTPhymatotrichum Root Rot NT NT Pythium (specify species) NT NTRhizoctonia solani NT NT Southwestern Cotton Rust NT NT General PlantType Thielayiopsis basicola NT NT Diplodia Boll Rot NT NT Other(specify) Verticillium Wilt NT NT Nematodes, Insects, and PestsRoot-Knot Nematode NT NT Boll Weevil NT NT Bollworm R R Cotton Aphid NTNT Cotton Fleahopper NT NT Cotton Leafworm NT NT Cutworm (specifyspecies): NT NT Fall Armyworm MR MR Other (specify); Reniform NematodeNT NT Grasshopper (specify species) NT NT Lygus (specify species) NT NTPink Bollworm R R Spider Mite (specify species) NT NT Stink Bug (specifyspecies) NT NT Thrips (specify species) NT NT Tobacco Bud Worm R R (NT =Not Tested, S = Susceptible, MS = Moderately susceptible, MR =Moderately Resistant, R = Resistant)

Example 2

A variety has been essentially derived from ST 4498B2RF by the processof the transgression of the Event LLCotton 25, USDA-APHIS petition02-042-01p, U.S. Pat. No. 6,818,807, into plants of the variety ST4498B2RF via the method of recurrent backcrossing and selecting theplants which express the characteristics of ST 4498B2RF combined withthe resistance to the herbicide glyfosinate.

Example 3

A variety has been essentially derived from ST 4498B2RF by the processof the transgression of a gene construct via genetic engineering inregenerable cells or tissue of ST 4498B2RF and the subsequent selectionof regenerated plants, which express the characteristics of ST 4498B2RFcombined with the characteristic that results from the genetictransformation.

Example 4

A variety that has been essentially derived from ST 4498B2RF by theselection of an induced or natural occurring mutant plant or off-typeplant from plants of ST 4498B2RF, which plant retains the expression ofthe phenotypic characteristics of ST 4498B2RF and differs only from ST4498B2RF in the expression of one, two, three, four, or five of thecharacteristics as listed in Table 1, when grown side by side with ST4498B2RF on one or two locations in one or two growing seasons.

Deposit Information

Applicant will make a deposit of at least 2500 seeds of cotton varietyST 4498B2RF disclosed herein with the ______ under ______ Accession No.______. The seeds were deposited with the ______ on ______. Access tothis deposit will be available during the pendency of the application tothe Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks and persons determined by theCommissioner to be entitled thereto upon request. The deposit will bemaintained for a period of 30 years, or 5 years after the most recentrequest, or for the enforceable life of the patent, whichever is longer,and will be replaced if it becomes nonviable during that period.Applicant does not waive any rights granted under this patent or underthe Plant Variety Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 2321 et seq.).

DEFINITIONS

A: When used in conjunction with the word “comprising” or other openlanguage in the claims, the words “a” and “an” denote “one or more.”

Allele: Any of one or more alternative forms of a gene locus, all ofwhich alleles relate to one trait or characteristic. In a diploid cellor organism, the two alleles of a given gene occupy corresponding locion a pair of homologous chromosomes.

Backcrossing: A process in which a breeder repeatedly crosses hybridprogeny, for example a first generation hybrid (F₁), back to one of theparents of the hybrid progeny. Backcrossing can be used to introduce oneor more single locus conversions from one genetic background intoanother.

Cm to FFB: Measure of centimeters to first fruiting branch.

Crossing: The mating of two parent plants.

Cross-pollination: Fertilization by the union of two gametes fromdifferent plants.

Desired Agronomic Characteristics: Agronomic characteristics (which willvary from crop to crop and plant to plant) such as yield, maturity, pestresistance and lint percent which are desired in a commerciallyacceptable crop or plant. For example, improved agronomiccharacteristics for cotton include yield, maturity, fiber content andfiber qualities.

Diploid: A cell or organism having two sets of chromosomes.

Disease Resistance: The ability of plants to restrict the activities ofa specified pest, such as an insect, fungus, virus, or bacterial.

Disease Tolerance: The ability of plants to endure a specified pest(such as an insect, fungus, virus or bacteria) or an adverseenvironmental condition and still perform and produce in spite of thisdisorder.

Donor Parent: The parent of a variety which contains the gene or traitof interest which is desired to be introduced into a second variety.

E1: Refers to elongation, a measure of fiber elasticity (high=moreelastic).

Emasculate: The removal of plant male sex organs or the inactivation ofthe organs with a cytoplasmic or nuclear genetic factor conferring malesterility or a chemical agent.

Essentially all the physiological and morphological characteristics: Aplant having essentially all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics means a plant having the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics, except for the characteristics derived from the desiredtrait.

F₁ Hybrid: The first generation progeny of the cross of two nonisogenicplants.

Fallout (Fo): As used herein, the term “fallout” refers to the rating ofhow much cotton has fallen on the ground at harvest.

FB5 cm to FFN: Measure of centimeters from main stem to first fruitingnode at fruiting branch 5.

2.5% Fiber Span Length: Refers to the longest 2.5% of a bundle of fibersexpressed in inches as measured by a digital fibergraph.

Fiber Characteristics: Refers to fiber qualities such as strength, fiberlength, micronaire, fiber elongation, uniformity of fiber and amount offiber.

Fiber Elongation: Sometimes referred to as E1, refers to the elongationof the fiber at the point of breakage in the strength determination asmeasured by High Volume Instrumentation (HVI).

Fiber Span Length: The distance spanned by a specific percentage offibers in a test specimen, where the initial starting point of thescanning in the test is considered 100 percent as measured by a digitalfibergraph.

Fiber Strength (Str): Denotes the force required to break a bundle offibers. Fiber strength is expressed in grams per tex on an HVI.

Fruiting Nodes: The number of nodes on the main stem from which arisebranches that bear fruit or boll in the first position.

Genotype: The genetic constitution of a cell or organism.

Gin Turnout: Refers to fraction of lint in a machine harvested sample ofseed cotton (lint, seed, and trash).

Haploid: A cell or organism having one set of the two sets ofchromosomes in a diploid.

Length (Len): The fiber length in inches using an HVI.

Linkage: A phenomenon wherein alleles on the same chromosome tend tosegregate together more often than expected by chance if theirtransmission was independent.

Lint Index: The weight of lint per seed in milligrams.

Lint Percent: The percentage of the seed cotton that is lint, handpickedsamples.

Lint Yield: Refers to the measure of the quantity of fiber produced on agiven unit of land. Presented below in pounds of lint per acre.

Lint/boll: As used herein, the term “lint/boll” is the weight of lintper boll.

Maturity Rating: A visual rating near harvest on the amount of openboils on the plant. The rating range is from 1 to 5, 1 being early and 5being late.

Micronaire (Mic): Refers to a measure of fiber fineness (high=coarsefiber) as measured with an HVI machine. Within a cotton cultivar,micronaire is also a measure of maturity. Micronaire differences aregoverned by changes in perimeter or in cell wall thickness, or bychanges in both. Within a variety, cotton perimeter is fairly consistentand maturity will cause a change in micronaire. Consequently, micronairehas a high correlation with maturity within a variety of cotton.Maturity is the degree of development of cell wall thickness.

Mr: Fiber maturity ratio.

Phenotype: The detectable characteristics of a cell or organism, whichcharacteristics are the manifestation of gene expression.

Plant Height: The average height in meters of a group of plants.

Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL): Quantitative trait loci (QTL) refer togenetic loci that control to some degree numerically representabletraits that are usually continuously distributed.

Recurrent Parent: The repeating parent (variety) in a backcross breedingprogram. The recurrent parent is the variety into which a gene or traitis desired to be introduced.

Regeneration: The development of a plant from tissue culture.

Seed/boll: Refers to the number of seeds per boll, handpicked samples.

Seedcotton/boll: Refers to the weight of seedcotton per boll, handpickedsamples.

Seedweight: Refers to the weight of 100 seeds in grams.

Self-pollination: The transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigmaof the same plant or a plant of the same genotype.

Single Locus Converted (Conversion) Plant: Plants which are developed bya plant breeding technique called backcrossing wherein essentially allof the desired morphological and physiological characteristics of avariety are recovered in addition to the characteristics conferred bythe single locus transferred into the variety via the backcrossingtechnique. A single locus may comprise one gene, or in the case oftransgenic plants, one or more transgenes integrated into the hostgenome at a single site (locus).

Stringout Rating: also sometimes referred to as “Storm Resistance”refers to a visual rating prior to harvest of the relative looseness ofthe seed cotton held in the boll structure on the plant. The ratingvalues are from 1 to 5 (tight to loose in the boll).

Substantially Equivalent: A characteristic that, when compared, does notshow a statistically significant difference (e.g., p=0.05) from themean.

T1: A measure of fiber strength, grams per tex (high=stronger fiber).

Tissue Culture: A composition comprising isolated cells of the same or adifferent type or a collection of such cells organized into parts of aplant.

Transgene: A genetic locus comprising a sequence which has beenintroduced into the genome of a cotton plant by transformation.

Uniformity Ratio (Ur): The proportion of uniform length fibers. Theuniformity ratio is determined by dividing the 50% fiber span length bythe 2.5% fiber span length.

Vegetative Nodes: The number of nodes from the cotyledonary node to thefirst fruiting branch on the main stem of the plant.

CITED REFERENCES

-   Lawrence P. Burdett, “Cotton Variety 02T15,” U.S. Pub. No.    20090049564.-   F. N. Briggs, and P. F Knowles, 1967: “Introduction to Plant    Breeding”, Rheinhold Publishing Corporation.-   H. F. Sakhanoko et al 2004: “Induction of Somatic embryogenesis and    Plant Regeneration in Select Georgia and Pee Dee Cotton Lines”, Crop    Science 44: 2199-2205.-   Umbecke et al 1988: “Genetic engineering of cotton plants and    lines”, Patent application number EP0290355.-   Reynaerts et al 2000: “Improved method for Agrobacterium mediated    transformation of cotton”, Patent application number WO 0071733.-   P. Stam, 2003: “Marker-assisted introgression: speed at any cost?”    Proceedings of the Eucarpia Meeting on Leafy Vegetable Genetics and    Breeding, Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands, 19-21 Mar. 2003. Eds.    Th. J. L. van Hintum, A. Lebeda, D. Pink, J. W. Schut. P117-124-   Trolinder et al. “Herbicide tolerant cotton plants having event    EE-GH1.” U.S. Pat. No. 6,818,807 (2004).

1. A seed of cotton variety ST 4498B2RF, wherein a representative sampleof seed of said variety was deposited under Accession No ______.
 2. Aplant of cotton variety ST 4498B2RF, or a part thereof, wherein a sampleof seed of said variety was deposited under Accession No ______.
 3. Theplant part of claim 2, wherein said plant part is regenerable.
 4. Theplant part of claim 3, wherein said plant part is pollen, an ovule or acell.
 5. A tissue culture of regenerable cells of a plant of cottonvariety ST 4498B2RF, or a part thereof, wherein a sample of seed of saidvariety was deposited under Accession No. ______.
 6. The tissue cultureof claim 5, wherein the regenerable cells are from embryos, meristematiccells, pollen, leaves, roots, root tips, anther, pistil, flower, seed,boll, or stem.
 7. A cotton plant regenerated from the tissue culture ofclaim 5, wherein the regenerated cotton plant expresses all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of cotton variety ST4498B2RF, a representative sample of seed of said variety having beendeposited under Accession No. ______.
 8. A method of producing cottonseed, comprising crossing the plant of claim 2 with itself or a secondcotton plant.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said method comprisescrossing the plant of claim 2 with a second, distinct cotton plant. 10.An F₁ hybrid cotton seed produced by the method of claim
 9. 11. An F₁hybrid cotton plant produced by growing the seed of claim
 10. 12. Amethod of producing a cotton plant having an added desired trait,wherein the method comprises introducing a transgene conferring thedesired trait into the cotton plant of claim
 2. 13. The method of claim12, wherein the desired trait is at least one of male sterility,herbicide tolerance, insect or pest resistance, disease resistance,modified fatty acid metabolism, modified carbohydrate metabolism ormodified cotton fiber characteristics.
 14. The method of claim 13,wherein the desired trait is herbicide tolerance and the tolerance isconferred to an herbicide which is glyphosate, sulfonylurea,imidazolinone, dicamba, glufosinate, phenoxy proprionic acid,cyclohexanedione, triazine, benzonitrile, bromoxynil, or combinationsthereof.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the desired trait is insectresistance and the transgene encodes a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)endotoxin.
 16. A cotton plant produced by the method of claim 12,wherein the plant comprises the desired trait and all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of cotton variety ST4498B2RF when grown in the same environmental conditions.
 17. A methodof introducing a single locus conversion into cotton variety ST 4498B2RFcomprising: (a) crossing a plant of variety ST 4498B2RF, arepresentative sample of seed of said variety having been depositedunder Accession No. ______, with a second plant comprising a desiredsingle locus to produce F1 progeny plants; (b) selecting F1 progenyplants that have the single locus to produce selected F1 progeny plants;(c) crossing the selected progeny plants with at least a first plant ofvariety ST 4498B2RF to produce backcross progeny plants; (d) selectingbackcross progeny plants that have the single locus and physiologicaland morphological characteristics of cotton variety ST 4498B2RF toproduce selected backcross progeny plants; and (e) repeating steps (c)and (d) one or more times in succession to produce selected second orhigher backcross progeny plants that comprise the single locus andotherwise comprise all of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of cotton variety ST 4498B2RF when grown in the sameenvironmental conditions.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the singlelocus confers a trait, wherein the trait is at least one of malesterility, herbicide tolerance, insect or pest resistance, diseaseresistance, modified fatty acid metabolism, modified carbohydratemetabolism, modified cotton fiber characteristics, or combinationsthereof.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the trait is tolerance toan herbicide, wherein the herbicide is glyphosate, sulfonylurea,imidazolinone, dicamba, glufosinate, phenoxy proprionic acid,cyclohexanedione, triazine, benzonitrile, bromoxynil, or combinationsthereof.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the trait is insectresistance and the insect resistance is conferred by a transgeneencoding a Bacillus thuringiensis endotoxin.
 21. A cotton plant producedby the method of claim 17, wherein the plant has the desired singlelocus and all of the physiological and morphological characteristics ofcotton variety ST 4498B2RF.
 22. A method of producing an inbred cottonplant derived from the cotton variety ST 4498B2RF, the method comprisingthe steps of: (a) preparing a progeny plant derived from cotton varietyST 4498B2RF, a representative sample of seed of said variety having beendeposited under Accession No. ______, by crossing cotton variety ST4498B2RF with a cotton plant of a second variety; (b) crossing theprogeny plant with itself or a second plant to produce a seed of aprogeny plant of a subsequent generation; (c) growing a progeny plant ofa subsequent generation from said seed and crossing the progeny plant ofa subsequent generation with itself or a second plant; and (d) repeatingsteps (b) and (c) for an additional 3-10 generations with sufficientinbreeding to produce an inbred cotton plant derived from the cottonvariety ST 4498B2RF.
 23. A method of producing a commodity plant productcomprising obtaining the plant or plant part of claim 2 and producingsaid commodity plant product therefrom.
 24. The method of claim 23,wherein the commodity plant product is lint or cotton seed oil.
 25. Acotton plant produced by growing the seed of claim
 1. 26. A protoplastproduced from the tissue culture of claim
 5. 27. A method of producing acotton plant having an added desired trait comprising introducing atransgene conferring the desired trait into the plant of claim
 7. 28. Amethod of producing a cotton plant having an added desired traitcomprising introducing a transgene conferring the desired trait into theplant of claim
 25. 29. A cotton plant produced by the method of claim27, wherein the plant comprises the desired trait and all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of cotton variety ST4498B2RF when grown in the same environmental conditions.
 30. A cottonplant produced by the method of claim 28, wherein the plant comprisesthe desired trait and all of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of cotton variety ST 4498B2RF when grown in the sameenvironmental conditions.